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DayBreaks for 2/28/19:An Unspoken Thanks

From the DayBreaks archive February 2009:

I’ve been struck recently by the amount of ingratitude in my life. I don’t think that I’m alone, but I don’t wish to project my shortcomings on to any of you. All the hype on the news about how awful things are have created in many of us a sense of “Yep, it’s terrible. Things are worse than they’ve ever been and I see no hope that things will be better.” And, we tend to be so down-in-the-mouth and dispirited that we ignore an entire panoply of blessings each day.

In his book, The Holy Wild, Mark Buchanan was musing on the faithfulness of God. It’s a topic that we don’t often ponder, for good reason: faithfulness is about as boring as a 1978 Buick that just keeps on running and refuses to just quit. Someone who has an old car might see someone driving a new, shiny, sporty vehicle. The owner of the flashy car may say to the old Buick owner, “Why are you still driving that thing? You were driving that when we last saw each other 10 years ago!” to which the Buick owner replies, “Yeah, but it’s faithful.” In other words, it keeps on working. Or, to put a slightly different spin on it, “Yeah, it’s as boring as all get out, but it just keeps working.”

You see, faithfulness is boring. We come to expect faithfulness after a while because something (a person, car, pet, etc.) is always there, always does what it is supposed to do. We presume faithfulness and are shocked when it doesn’t happen.

The same is true with God. We know in our heads that God has promised to be faithful – and we believe it – at least at some level. But that’s dangerous because it means we take Him and what He does for granted. In Buchanan’s book, he ponders the wonder of leaves. Leaves when they are dry are very fragile, yet just the other day, I was sitting in a restaurant with my wife and sister and her kids, and it was windy and raining outside, but I looked outside and saw a dried leaf clinging to a branch. Leaves can even cling to trees through a hurricane or tornado. But when they’re dry, they are so very fragile. Leaves give us shelter from the blazing summer sun, they provide food for animals and people, they drink down the poison of carbon dioxide and give us back life-giving oxygen in exchange. Each spring, leaves appear on trees all over the world by the trillions or quadrillions (who knows how many leaves God creates each spring?!??!) And my guess is that not one time in your life, have you ever had to ask God to put leaves on trees in the spring. And I’d also be willing to bet that not once have you stopped to give Him thanks for those leaves that give you life. I haven’t.

Leaves and their ilk are signs, reminders if you will, of God’s faithfulness. When something in your life gets you down and discourages you, when you are tempted to feel that God has failed and let you down, stop and ponder a leaf or two – and remember that they are reminders of God’s faithfulness – even when we fail to give Him thanks for such simple things.

Hebrews 12:28 (NASB) – Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe… We have received citizenship in a kingdom which we don’t deserve. We have much, even this very moment, that calls out to us to give Him thanksgiving.

Prayer: Father, thank You for making leaves! Thank You for making us! Thank You for all good things! In Jesus’ name, Amen

DayBreaks for 11/24/16: Thanksgiving Questions

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! I love this holiday. I hope you do, too. I realize you may have had a very difficult year, and if so, I am sorry for the pain you’ve had. Yet, we all have things to be thankful for, don’t we?

A group of Moms got together and composed a list of things they are thankful for. They wrote that they were especially thankful:

“For automatic dishwashers because they make it possible for us to get out of the kitchen before the family comes back in for their after dinner snacks.

“For husbands who attack small repair jobs around the house because they usually make them big enough to call in the professionals.

“For children who put away their things and clean up after themselves. They’re such a joy you hate to see them go home to their own parents.

“For teenagers because they give parents an opportunity to learn a second language.”

And finally, “For Smoke alarms because they let you know when the turkey’s done.”

Each of us would have our own list of the things for which we are thankful. Most of us are mature enough in our faith to recognize that Thanksgiving is a most dangerous holiday. When we give thanks for our good health, what does that say to people who do not have a healthy body? Does that say that we are more deserving than they, or that somehow God loves us more?

When we thank God for our nice homes or our families or our freedom as Americans, what does this say about good, decent God-loving people around the world who do not share these blessings?

I have no ready answers for such questions and neither does anyone else. I would prefer, however, as we give thanks this Thursday and all the rest of the year, that we do it for the right reasons.

What are some of the things that every Christian, regardless of his or her circumstance, in every corner of the globe can be thankful for this Thanksgiving season? What are some of the things that you can be grateful for today that you might not typically think to give thanks for? Search out a few – and thank God for them today!

PRAYER: We have much to thank You for today, God! I pray that You will be the unseen, yet honored guest of honor at our tables and in our hearts on this Thanksgiving day! In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Psalm 103:1-5 (ESV) – Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! 2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, 3 who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, 4 who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, 5 who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

How are things going for you right now? Is life all you wish it could be? How’s your health? How’s your employment situation? How’s your marriage and your relationships with your family members and friends, co-workers and fellow students? Are your finances solid and do you feel secure? How do you feel about our country and the direction it is headed morally?

What kinds of things do your mind tend to entertain? Does your mind flow to the things that are wrong and troubling you, or to the things that are good, holy, pure and full of faith?

This passage in Psalm 103 is a great reminder for us, especially in verse 2: “O my soul, forget not all his benefits.” When we are distressed, when we are sick or troubled, we do precisely what the Psalmist says we shouldn’t do: we forget all his blessings.

When is the last time you really recounted to the Lord (and to yourself!), all the benefits you have received from His hand?

On Sunday we had a lesson on thankfulness. Remember the healing of the 10 lepers – where only one came back to thank Jesus? I suspect that the other 9 were thankful, but they never took the time to tell Jesus how they felt for what He’d done for them. Let’s not be like that. He deserves far more from us than just hearts that might say to themselves, “He knows my heart. I don’t need to tell Him how thankful I am.” Wrong. Take some time right now to start the practice and discipline of thankfulness!

PRAYER: Jesus, how many and great are the benefits you give to us! Let us demonstrate our thankfulness to you like the leper did, no matter what our circumstances, no matter what the cost. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Copyright 2012 by Galen C. Dalrymple.

I Am 2 has just launched another project: to put in a water system for what will be the only pediatric hospital in all of Rwanda! If you are interested in learning more, go to our blog: http://iam2.org/blog to read about it and learn how you can help! We are trying to raise up a massive army of compassionate people who will each contribute whatever they can – even $5-10 each, to help us deliver this water system through our partner, BeyondPoverty.org. The budget for this water system is $8300. Every gift matters…and every gift is appreciated! They ALL make a difference!

Also, don’t forget our other project, Bright Future Children’s Home. You can read the latest update about them at the blog, too, and can help us move forward with the feeding, clean water and protection these 37 kids in Kenya need to not just live, but grow!!! We still need to raise a bit over $4000 to fulfill our mission. Donations are tax deductible for 2012. If you prefer to send a check rather than give through PayPal, write it and mail it to: I Am 2 Partners, Inc., c/o 3678 Creekstone Drive, Norcross, GA 30092.

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